Cap feeding device



SePt- 8, 1936- c. H. RlNToN v 2,053,763

" GAP FEEDING DEVICE Filed oct. 14, 1932 5 sheets-sheet 1 afina/5 Sept. 8, 1936. c. H. BRINTON CAP FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 8, 1936- c. H. BRINTON 2,053,763

CAP FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1952 5 SheetS-Sheecl 5 /7 (fof/z ey:

` Sept- 8, 1936- c. H. BRINTON 2,053,763

CAP FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, '1932 5 Sheets-Sheetl 4 llil'l'l'lll'l Sept. 8, 1936. 'c. H. BRINTON CAP FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet-` 5 Wr Offre/f Patented Sept. 8, 1936 PATENT ori-ICE CAP FEEDING DEVICE Christian H. Brlnton, Oak Park, Ill., assigner to Standard Cap and Seal Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Virginia Application october 14; 1932, serial No. 637,812

17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in connection with cap feeding devices used in association with cap applying machines, and more particularly pertains to such a device for feeding and loosely placing skirted caps of thin material on the neck portions of receptacles or bottles prior to their being secured thereto. y

One of the objects of the invention is to provide such a feeding device wherein -a source of l0 supply of large capacity is confined within a relatively small space. Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which will feed skirted caps of very thin metal without the possibility of the caps being misshaped. Another object is to provide such a device wherein the source of supply of caps comprises means for forming and supplying the caps to the feeding means in accordance with the operation thereof.

Although the invention has to do with the feeding of receptacle or bottle caps, other objects or articles could be handled as well.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description, with'reference to the accompanying Y drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the device taken substantially on the line I-I of Fig. 2 with parts broken away and parts diagrammatically illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with partsabove said line being shown in full and parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the mechanism as shownl in Fig. 1 with parts in changed position.

v Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of Fig. 1, taken on the line 4-4 of said iigure.

Fig. 5 is a section takenon the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 with parts shown diagrammatically.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 6 8 of Fig. 1 with parts omitted and parts broken away.

Fig. 'l is a section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1 and being in reduced scale with parts broken away.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line H of Fig. 1 with parts broken away.

Fig. 9 is a circuit diagram including diagram-I matically illustrated parts of the device.

Fig.. 10 is a section taken on theline Ill-I0 of Fig. 2 with parts in full.

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 2` with parts broken away. Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 illustrate a modified form (Cl. 22S-88.1)

of thelinvention wherein Fig. 12 is a view of a portion of the mechanism as seen in Fig. 1 with parts omitted and parts broken away. Fig. 13 is a section taken substantially on the line I3-I3 of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a plan view of Fig. 12 looking 5 in the direction of the arrow I4 with parts omitted and parts broken away. Fig. 15 is a view diagrammatically illustrating some of the parts of Fig. l2 in changed position. f

As shown in Fig. ,1, the upper stretch of a. con- 10 veyor belt I is adapted to travel toward the right and upon which the receptacles or bottles 2 are placed to be conveyed to, for instance, a capping machine (not shown) for fastening skirted caps over the necks of the bottles loosely placed thereon. The belt is suitably supported on a horizontal table portion 3 mounted on the lateral bracket extension 4 of the support pedestal 5. The bot,- tles are carried on the conveyor belt between side guides s suitably mounted on the table portion 2o 3 for directing the bottles in a xed line of travel. In accordance with the invention, means are provided which is controlled or operated by the bottles being conveyed on the belt l for forming and placing skirted caps on the necks of the 25 bottles. Said means includes a magazine or cap retainer in the form of chute 1 disposed above the conveyor belt I and being inclined downward at about 45 degrees with respect thereto in the direction of travel of the belt. The chute is 30 mounted at its upper end upon a support block 8 secured upon a support head 9. The support head is mounted for adjustment vertically upon the pedestal 5 within which is a vertical bore III receiving the cylindrical portion II depending 35 from the head. For holding the support head in adjusted positions, a bolt I2 is provided in the side'of the pedestal forlocking engagement' with the portion II of the support head. AThe chute has a flat bottom portion I3 and vertical 40 sides I4 and is adapted to retain a maximum supply of five skirted bottle caps I5 arranged in uniform single order with their open sides facing downward. At the bottom end of the chuteA and forming a short continuation of its 45 sides is a gate I6 hinged to each side of the chute at I'I. The gates have inwardly converging curved ends I8 for acting to stop the bottom cap in the chute, and are provided with an inward flange I9 for slightly projecting under the 50 edge of the skirt of the cap, and being in the plane of the bottom of the chute for supporting the capl extending therebeyond. The gates have an inward flange portion 20 .forming a continuation of the inward flange I9 and which extends under the bottom of the chute into engagement with the shoulder formation 2| under the chute for limiting the inward movement of the gates and for supporting the rear portion of the cap when being fed or released from the chute upon the opening of the gates. 'Ihe gates are resiliently held closed by a tension spring 22 whose ends are connected to posts 23 on the gates and extending upward therefrom. The lower end 24 of the chute bottom portion is located slightly above top of the bottles as they are conveyed on the belt whereupon the lower end cap held by the gates and partially supported on said end is positioned so as to permit the neck of a bottle to enter the cap, open the gates and withdrawing the cap from the chute whereby the cap is caused to rest loosely over the neck of the bottle. As the cap is being withdrawn from the chute it is engaged on its top by a presser foot 25 hinged at 26 to a cross bar 21 mounted over the bottom end of the chute. The presser foot has a portion extending over the end cap in the chute for positioning same therein and a normally horizontal end portion for resting on the cap on the bottle after it leaves the chute, as indicated at 28, whereby the cap is properly positioned there'- on. The presser foot is limited in its downward movement by a projection 29 thereof engaging a stop formation 30 on the cross bar 21.

At the top end of the chute is a device for forming the caps from thin sheet metal, although any other material could be substituted therefor, the device is so arranged with respect to the chute that the formed caps upon being ejected fall by gravity into the chute in their proper position. Said device comprises cooperating dies including a stationary lower die head 3| and a movable upper die head 32. The lower die head is located in the widened upper chute portion 33 whose sides join with outwardly flared extensions 34 of the cap retaining portion of the chute. 'I'he lower die head comprises a blanking die block 35 mounted upon a bracket formation 36 of the upper chute portion and has a central bore 31 for cooperating with the upper die head in cutting the blanks or discs from which the capsare formed. Centrally located within the bore of the die block 35 and mounted on the bracket 36 is a male die member 38 over which the blanks are formed into sklrted caps. Reciprocably mounted within the bore of the die block 35 and surrounding the central forming die member 38 is a draw ring 39. The draw ring is resiliently held in raised position by a compression spring 40 which surrounds a square postv 4| depending from the bracket portion 36, the spring being interposed between a nut 42 at the end-ef thepost and a pusher block 43 slidably mounted on the post. Depending from the draw ring are equally spaced pins 44 which slidably project through the bracket 36 and into contact with the pusher block 43, thus connect ing the draw ring with the spring. The draw ring has an annular shoulder formation 45 for -engaging the internal shoulder formation 46 'in the bore of the die block 35 in limiting its upward movement. The blanking die block 35, the draw ring and the central male die member have top surfaces in a common plane. and which are slightly raised above the bottom surface of the chute so as to be substantially in the plane thereof as indicated at 41, whereby after the formation of a cap and its ejection from the dies, the cap is guided on said surface formation into the chute in its proper position.

The upper die head 32 comprises a combination blanking and forming die block 48 mounted at the lower end of a hollow plunger shaft 49 disposed coaxial with the lower die head and being reciprocably mounted in a bearing 5U. The bearing 50 has side depending leg portions 5I bolted on the sides of the upper chute portion for mounting. The upper die block 48 is cylindrically formed correlatively with the bore of the lower die block 35 for cooperating when lowered therein in cutting the discs or blanks from the thin metal strip 52, later described, being fed intermittently between the die heads. 'I'he die block 48 has a cupped center 53 correlatively formed with the center male die member 38 of the lower die head for cooperating therewith in forming the blank into a skirted cap, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As is common practice, the draw ring 38 cooperates with the die member 48 in the upper die head in forming the skirt of the cap, wherein, after the blank is cut, the outer edge portion thereof is resillently held between said dies and draw ring upon continued downward movement of the upper die head, whereupon the edge portion of the blank is stretched or drawn over the center male die member in forming the skirt of the cap. For ejecting the formed caps from the upper die member or block 48, Within whose cupped portion of the cap is inclined to remain upon the raising of the upper die head, a false bottom in the form of a disc 54 is provided in the cupped portion and is mounted at the lower end of a stem 55 reciprocably mounted for limited movement within the hollow stem 5B of the upper die block 48 which is secured in the lower end of the plunger shaft for mounting same. Upon the raising of the upper die head after a cap is formed, the top of the stem 55 engages a pin 51 mounted crosswise in the p1unger shaft bearing, thus the false bo'ttom is held stationary during continued upper movement of the head, whereupon the ejection of the cap is eected. 'Ihe plunger shaft 49 has elongated slots 58 in its sides through which the cross pin 51 projects so as to permit reciprocation of the shaft.

'I'he upper die head has means for guiding and supporting the sheet metal strip 52 when being fed between the die heads. The means includes a centrally bored guide block 58 slidably mounted on the upper die block 48 which is received in the bore of the block. The guide block is provided with upwardly projecting bolts 59 spaced about the upper die block which slidably project through a plate 60 secured at the top of the upper die block, and at the top ends of the bolts is a nut for holding the guide block normally extended partially below the die block 48. A compression spring 6| surrounds each bolt 59 and being interposed between the plate 60 and the guide block for resiliently holding the block in normal extended position. The guide block is laterally slotted as at 62 in the portion extending below the upper die block and through which is guided the sheet metal strip 52. Below the lateral slot the bore of the guide block is enlarged as at 63 for receiving the raised surface portion 41 of the lower blanking die block and upon which surface the sheet metal strip is resiliently held by the guide block during engagement of the die heads. The guide block also serves to eject the blanked portion of the metal strip from the die block 48 upon disengagement of the die heads and hold same in spaced relation above the lower die head for permitting the ejected cap to fall indto the chute.V

Operating means for the cap forming device includesv a rock lever 64 centrally fulcrumed at 65 within a forked bracket extension 66 on the plunger shaft bearing 50. 'I'he rock lever lhas a slotted end 61 slidably received in the longitudinal slot 68 at the top of the plunger shaft through winch is a cross pin 69 slidably receivedin the slot in the end of the rock lever. The other end of the rock lever has a roller 10 received within the side cam groove 1I Aof a vertically disposed cam wheel 12, which, upon one rotation thereof the plunger shaft is reciprocated once. The cam wheel is mounted and connected through the intermediation of a clutch device later described, on the end of the power shaft 13 of a speed reducer 14 mounted on the support head 9. The speed reducer comprises a gear housing 15 having side bearings 16 within which the power shaft is rotatably mounted horizontally. Mounted on the power shaft in the housing is a worm wheel 11 which meshes with a worm 18 on a worm shaft 19 suitably mounted in bearings 80 in the housing. The worm shaft has an end extending outside the gear housing which is connected by a coupling 8| to the shaft of an electric motor 82 mounted on the support head 9.

The motor is so timed that the capacity of the cap forming device will be a little greater than the rate at which the caps are fed or releasedy from the chute by the bottles, so that normally there will be a supply of caps in the'chute. In accordance with the invention, the cap forming device is controlled automatically so that the maximum supply of caps in the chute will be limited to five, although any number may be determined upon. To this end a clutch device is provided, of a common type, intermediate the cam wheel and the power shaft, and which includes a clutch collar 83 keyed on the shaft and which is received in the recessed side of the cam wheel. The clutch collar has a radial slot 84 in its side within which is engaged the inner end of a squared horizontally disposed spring pressed clutch pin 85 slidably mounted in the square bore 86 in the hub portion 81 of the cam wheel. A peripheral groove 88 is provided in' the hub of the cam wheel which intersects the bore 86 for receiving the free end of a pivotally mounted clutch release lever 89. The free end of the clutch lever has a wedge shaped cam formation 90 for engaging in the slot 9| of the clutch pin which partially intersects the peripheral groove 88 for camming the clutch pin out of engagement with the radial slot inv the clutch collar upon rotation of the cam wheel and when the clutch lever is engaged in the peripheral groove, whereupon the cap forming device is rendered inoperative. The clutch lever is secured to and depends from a short horizontal shaft 92 rotatably mounted in a bearing 93 of a bracket 94 mounted on the top of the speed reducer housing. At the other end of the shaft 92 is a lever 95 having a pin and slot connection at its free end, as at 96, with the lower end of the movable core 91 of an electrically operated solenoid 98 mounted vertically on the bracket 94. A com' pression spring 99 surrounds the solenoid core and is confined between the end of the solenoid and the end of the lever 95 for resiliently holding the clutchlever 89 out of engagement with the clutch pin 85.

As best shown in Fig. 9, an energizing circuit is provided for the solenoid which is closed when iive. caps are retained in the chute, whereby the coreof the solenoid is retracted therein which moves the cam end of the clutch lever into the peripheral groove 88 causing the.disengagement of the clutch pin from the clutch collar, thus resulting in the stopping of the cap forming device. The energizing circuit includes, as one example, the regular 110 volt, alternating current power lines and IOI. One side of the solenoid is connected by the conductor |02 to the power line |00, and the other side is connected to the power line |0| through the intermediation of a conductor |03 connecting said side with the pivotally mounted switch lever |04 of a relay switch |05. The switch lever |04 is adapted to move, against the force of a tension spring I 05 connected therewith, into contact with a terminal |01 of the conductor |08 which is connected with one side of a spring switch |09 whose other side is connected `by a conductor I I0 to the power line 0|.

The relay switch |05 is operated to close by circuit closing means controlled by the uppermost cap of lfive retained in the chute. The spring switch |09 is operably connected with the draw ring of the lower die head so as to close at the initial blanking or cap forming operation at which time it is assured that the preceding cap formed has fallen and is retained in the chute before said switch is closed, resulting in stopping the cap forming device by the closing of the circuit t`o the solenoid only when five caps are retained inthe chute. Thus a cap is prevented from unnecessarily energizing the solenoid and Awasting current when passing the location occupied by a fifth cap in the chute. To this end the -relay switch includes an electrically operated magnet ill adapted fora capacity of about 6 V,

volts, and being situated adjacent the switch lever |04 so that core ||2 of the magnet draws the lever intocontact with the terminal |01. An energiz ing circuit for the magnet includes a' volt reducing transformer ||3 of a ratio of about 18 to l whose primary coil I I4 is in circuit connection with they power lines, wherein a conductor ||5 connects power line I0| to one side of the primary coil and a conductor I6 connects the other side of the coil with the conductor |02 connecting with power line |00. The secondary coil |I1 of the transformer has one side connected by a conductor ||8 to one side of the magnet coil ||9. The opposite sides of the secondary coil and the magnet coil are connected through a switch |20 located in the chute bottom at the position of the fifth cap which closes same. The switch |20 includes a bar I2| of insulating material, such as hard rubber, which extends across the bottom portion of the chute within the cutout portion |22 thereof 'and of which it forms a part, and being secured to the chute by th'e screws |23. Extending in line under the bar |2| and in spaced relation to each other are two terminal strips |24 and |25 which are connected to the bar by terminal posts |26 and |21 respectively. The terminal strips have adjacent upturned inner ends |28 in spaced relation which project through slots |29 in the bar and slightly above the top surface of the bar so as to contact with the skirt of the fifth cap in the chute for bridging the terminal strips. The terminal post |26 is connected by the conductor |30 to the aforesaid opposite side of the magnet coil and the terminal post |21 is connected by the conductor |3| to the aforesaid opposite side of the secondary coil of the transformer. whereupon the bridging of the terminal strips by the cap effects the closing of the relay switch |05. The'edge of the upturned inner ends of the terminal strips are slightly curved as at'I32 and in the direction of travel of a cap so as to permit it to pass thereover.

The spring switch |09 comprises two spaced spring strips |33 and |34 connected to the conductors |08 and I0 respectively. 'I'he spring strips extend alongside the pusher block 43 of the lower die head and are mounted on the upper chute bracket portion 38 through the intermediation of insulating blocks |35 of rubber. As the pusher block is lowered upon the initial downward movement of the draw ring during a cap forming operation, the cam formation |36 of the pusher block engages a roller |31 at the top of the spring strip |33 thus bending the strip into contact with the spring strip |34 which closes the circuit to the solenoid in the event the relay switch |05 is closed.

The means for feeding the sheet metal strip 52 between the upper and lower die heads will now be described. At the right of the upper die' head and located above the chute, as seen in Fig. 1, is a. roll of the strip or material con-r 20 tained on a supply reel |38 which is loosely mounted vertically on a stub shaft |39 extending from the side of an upstanding bracket i 40 mounted on the chute. From the supply reel the metal strip passes between an upper -feed roll 4| and a lower idler roll |42. The feed roll is secured on a shaft |43 rotatably mounted in a bearing |44 on the bracket |40 and on the end of which extending from the bearing is mounted a grooved pulley |45 which is connected 3 Iby a belt |46 to the grooved pulley formation |41 of the hub portion 81 of the cam wheel for driving the feed roll. Said pulley and pulley formation is so proportioned so that upon every cycle of operation of the cap forming device the metal 35 strip will be fed a distance a little greater than the diameter of a cap blank so as to leave some material between the blanked portions of the strip. The idler roll is carried on the free end of a spring pressed lever |48 fulcrumed at |43 on the bracket |40 which maintains said roller in resilient clamping relation with the feed roll in feeding the strip. From the feed roll the strip extends through the slot 62 in the guide block 58 of the upper die head and is intermittently drawn therethrough by feeding mechanism which includes upper and lower spaced" guide plates |50 and |5| respectively extending from the upper chute portion and the die heads for guiding therebetween the metal strip after it leaves the upper die head. 'I'he lower guide plate has an inclined inner end providing a ared entrant portion |52 for the metal strip, said end being bolted to the upper chute bracket portion for mounting the plates. The plates are connected by side portions |53 which laterally guide the metal strip. Extending along the rear side of the guide plates and mounted at the end ofthe upper chute portion is a guide bar |54 whose outer end has a lateral extension |55 upon which the outer end of the guide plates are mounted. Reciprocably mounted on the guide bar is a cross-head |56 having a lateral extension |51projecting under the lower guide plate and continuing upward into a bearing formation |58 for supporting one end of a gripper shaft |58 extending over the upper guide plate and whose other end is supported in a bearing |50 yin the cross-head. Secured to the gripper shaft and depending in an outwardly inclined udirection are two gripper fingers |6| located 5 cut away as at |62 so as to expose the edge portions of the strip for the fingers and the lateral extension |51. The lateral extension |51 has raised shoulders |63 extending within the side cutout portions for engaging the strip.

During the outward movement of the crosshead the gripper nngers are held in clamping engagement with the metal strip for feeding same by a compression spring |64 interposed between a lug |65 on the cross-head and a lug formation on the side of the adjacent gripper nger. Upon the return stroke of the cross-head the gripper fingers are raised out of engagement with the metal strip, during which movement the strip remains stationary. For raising the fingers and reciprocating the cross-head, the inner gripper finger has a lug extension |66 through which is threaded an adjusting screw |61 for engagement with a short lever. |68 mounted on the inner end of a pin |69 rotatably mounted in a bearing of the cross-head. Fixed to the other end of the pin is one end of a connecting rod |10 whose other end is pivotally connected to a crank pin |1| extending from the side of the hub portion of the cam wheel, whereupon the clutch on the power shaft controls the reciprocation of the cross-head by way of the cam wheel as well as the upper die head. At the outer and inner positions of the cross-head, the angularity of the connecting rod with respect to the head will be the same, as seen in full and dotted lines in Fig. 1, at which positions. due to clockwise rotation of the cam wheel, the lever |68 is caused to respectively engage and disengage the gripper lingers. Thus the fingers become disengaged from the metal strip on the inward movement of the cross-head and become engaged with the strip on the outward movement of the head. In other words it is the difference in the angularity of the connecting rod with respect to the cross-head during the inward and outward movements thereof that controls the operation of the gripper fingers. By the adjustment `of the screw |61 the amount of intermittent movement f the metal strip is regulated in acfrdance with the feeding rate of the feed roll The outer end of the upper guide plate is curved upward as at |12 for guiding the strip onto a take-up reel |13 located above the plate. and which is keyed on a horizontal stub shaft |14 rotatably mounted in a bearing |15 at the end of a bracket |15 mounted on the rear leg portion of the plunger bearing. Frictionally secured on the rear end of the shaft |14 so as to provide an impositive drive therefor, is a pulley |11 which is connected by a belt |13 to the pulley formation |41 on the hub of the cam wheel, whereby the reel is urged in a turning direction for taking up the intermittently fed used metal strip portion.

Engaging across the top surface of the metal strip in advance of the feed roll I4| is an oil feed roll |19 rotatably mounted in bearings in end depending portions of an oil feed tank |80 mounted on the upstanding bracket |40. At the bottom of the tank the sides converge inwardly to form a slot |8| extending closely over the oil feed roll. By this means oil is fed from the tank to the roll which spreads it on the strip for reducing friction during the formation of a cap and reducing frictional contact of the cap retained in the cupped die formation ofthe upper die block so as to expedite its ejection therefrom. The tank |80 is in supply communication with a large oil supply container |82 mounted upon uprights |83 on the support head, wherein a supply pipe |84 leads from the container and extends into the top of the tank. A valve |85 is provided in the supply pipe for regulating the supply of oil in the tank in accordance with the amount of oil consumed.

A modified form of the invention relating to the means for rendering the cap forming device inoperative, or clutch operating means, is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in Figs. 12 to 15 with parts like parts of the preferred form being designated by like numerals with prime exponents..

Mounted on the power shaft 13 and substituted for the clutch collar 83 of the preferred form, is the hub |90 of a cam wheel |9| later described, which is keyed on the power shaft. The power shaft extends half way into the bore of the hub and continues into a. reduced end shaft portion |92 upon which end the cam wheel 12 is mounted. In the outer half of the bore of the hub |90 is a longitudinally extended half round groove |93 within which is normally partly engaged the half round end |94 of a clutch pin |95 rotatably mounted in a bore |96 in the hub of the cam wheel 12 for connecting the cam wheel to the power shaft. The' hub of the cam wheel 12' has an extended end portion |91 surrounded by the outer half of the hub |90 for supporting the half round end of the clutch pin. Referring to Fig. 15 the half round end of the clutch pin is resiliently held partly turned in a clockwise direc.-

tion in the groove |93 by a tension spring |98v which is anchored at one end to a pin |99 on the side of the cam wheel 12 and connected at its other end to a lever formation 200 -on the outer end of the clutch pin. The lever formation engages a stop pin 20| on the side of the cam wheel 12 which normally positions the lever inclined in the direction of rotation of the cam wheel, so that when the lever formation is turned so as to extend radially of the axis of the power shaft, the clutch pin inner end is disengaged from the groove of the hub |90.

For operating the clutch pin lever in disconnecting the cam wheel 12 when a fifth cap is retained in the chute, an oscillating lever 202 is Y provided alongside the chute which is mounted on a shaft 203 rotatably mounted in the bearing 204 of a bracket 205 on the side of the chute.

free end of the lever extends over the chute and terminates above the location of a fifth cap therein. A shoe 206 is securedat the end of the lever which comprises a disc having a threaded stem threaded into the lever end for engaging the top of a cap. Loosely mounted on the shaft 203 is a clutch release lever 201 located alongside of and having a resilient connection 208 with the lever 202. At the end of the clutch lever is a hook D formation which is projected into the path of the end of the clutch pin lever formation 200 when the lever 202 is held in raised position by engagement with a cap, whereupon said clutch pin lever end engages the hooked end of the clutch 5 release lever thus causing the rotation of the half round end of the clutch pin out of engagement with the groove of the hub |90.

At the point of disengagement of the clutch pin,`

as seen in Fig. 12, the flat side 209 of the half round end of the clutch pin becomes flush with thev bore of the hub |90 which is constantly rotatiing, whereby said pin is held from turning, and

by reason of the engagement of the clutch lever and the clutch pin lever the cam wheel 12 is held stationary at said point of disengagement.

The-

The lever 202 is oscillated by the cam wheel |9| whose peripheral cam surface is engaged by a roller 2|0 at the end of an arm 2|| secured to the shaft 203. Connected at one end -to the bottom of the lever 202 is a light tension spring 2|2 whose other end is anchored at 2|3 to the side of the chute for resiliently urging the arm into engagement with the cam wheel |9|. The cam wheel is so timed with respect to the cap forming dies, whereby the lever 202 is held in raised position until a cap ejected from the dies is retained at a certain position in the chute. The camwheel is also timed so that upon the lowering of the lever 202 into the chute when not engaging a cap, the hooked end of the clutch release lever is moved out of engageable relaand projecting through an aperture in the end of the arm portion is a bolt 2|6 which is surrounded by a light compression spring 2|1. The spring is confined between a nut at the end of the bolt and the arm portion for resiliently holding the same in engagement with the lug 2|5.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In a unitary cap forming and feeding device for supplying caps to bottles, the combination of means to form caps; means to feed the formed caps; means to feed bottles; releasable means actuated by a bottle being fed for releasing caps from said feeding means; and automatic means operably connected with said forming means to control the operation of said forming means and rendered effective upon release of a cap from said feeding means.

2. In combination in a unitary cap forming and feeding device, means to form caps; an inclined chute in cooperative communication with said forming means for feeding the formed caps; automatically operated means associated with said chute for maintaining a predetermined supply of caps in said chute; and means for releasing caps from said chute.

3. In combination in a cap feeding device, means for feeding the caps, means for retaining a supply of caps for the feeding means, means for forming the caps and supplying same` to the retaining means and means responsive to a predetermined supply of caps in the retaining means rendered effective by means on said forming means for controlling the operation of the forming means.

4. In combination in a device of the class described, means for conveying receptacles to be capped, means for forming the caps, control means associated therewith and means for transporting the caps from the formingmeans and placing them into cooperative relation with the receptacles on the conveying means, a second control means associated with said transporting means and cooperating with said first control means to render said forming means effective.

5. In a cap forming and feeding device, the combination of means to form caps; means including an inclined chute to feed the formed e caps; means to feed bottles adjacent said chute; means for releasing caps from said chute, said means being actuated by a bottle; and means to control the operation of said forming means rendered effective upon release of a cap from said chute.

6. In a unitary cap forming and feeding device, the combination of means to form caps; means including an inclined chute in cooperative communication with said forming means for feeding the caps; means to release a cap from said feeding means and means for controlling the operation of the cap forming means to maintain a supply of caps in the feeding means, said controlling means being automatically actuated in response to the release of a cap from said feeding means.

7. The combination with a cap feeding device having means for feeding the caps, wherein said means includes a retainer for a supply of caps, of receptacle cap forming means in cooperative communication with the retainer for supplying caps thereto, and means operated by said forming means and by a cap when a predetermined number of caps are contained in the retainer for rendering the cap forming means inoperative.

8. The combination with a cap feeding device having means for feeding the caps, wherein said means includes a retainer for a supply of caps, of receptacle cap forming means in cooperative communication with the retainer for supplying caps thereto, and means operated by said forming means and by a cap when retained at a predetermined location in the retainer for rendering the cap forming means inoperative.

9. In combination in a device of the class described, a magazine for retaining receptacle caps in uniform single order, mechanism at one end of the magazine for releasing the caps therefrom, a device at the other end of the magazine for forming and supplying the caps thereto, and means for initiating the operation of said forming device upon release of a cap from said magazine.

10. In combination in a device of the class described, a magazine for retaining the caps in uniform single order, mechanism at one end of the-magazine for feeding the caps therefrom, a device at the other end of the magazine for forming and supplying the caps rthereto, and mechanism arranged in connection with the magazine so as to be responsive to contact with a ycap therein, said mechanism being in controlling connection with the forming device.

11. In combination in a device of the class described, a magazine, feeding mechanism arranged in cooperative connection with the magazine at one end thereof, a forming device arranged in cooperative connection with the magazine at the other end thereof, and mechanism arranged in cooperative connection with the magazine intermediate its ends so as to be responsive to contact therein said mechanism being in controlling connection with the forming device. f

12. Incombination in a device of the class described, a caplforming device, a retainer arranged in 'cooperative relation with the forming device for receiving and retaining the formed caps, feeder means arranged in connection with the retainer for the caps, electrically operated means in controlling connection with the forming device'for rendering same ineffective, an energizing circuit for the electrically operated means, and switch `terminals in said circuit, said switch terminals being operably associated with the retainer so as to be bridged by a cap when a predetermined number of caps are retained in the retainer.

13. In combination in a device of the class described, a cap forming device adapted to produce metal receptacle caps, a retainer arranged in cooperative relation with the forming device for receiving and retaining in uniform single order the caps formed, feeder means arranged in connection with the retainer for feeding the caps, electrically operated means in controlling connection with the forming device for rendering same ineffective, an energizing circuit for the electrically operated means, and two spaced switch terminals in controlling connection with said circuit and being adapted to close same when bridged by a cap, said switch terminals arranged in cooperative relation with the retainer so as to be bridged by a cap when retained at a predetermined location therein.

14. In combination in a device of the class described, a cap forming device, a retainer arranged in cooperative relation with the forming device for receiving and retaining the caps formed, feeder means arranged in connection with the retainer for the caps, and means associated with the retainer and forming device and adapted to operate upon the coaction of a predetermined number of caps in the retainer and the forming *device at a fixed part of a cycle of a cap forming operation thereof for rendering said device ineffective.

15. In combination in a. device of the class described, a cap forming device, a retainer arranged in cooperative relation with the forming device for receiving and retaining the caps formed, feeder means arranged in connection with the retainer for the caps, electrically operated means in controlling connection with the forming device for rendering same ineffective, an energizing circuit for the electrically operated means, a switch in said circuit and being operably connected with the forming device so as to close during a fixed part of a cycle of a cap forming operation thereof, and a second switch in said circuit and being in operative connection with the retainer so as to close when a predetermined number of caps are retained therein.

16. The combination with a cap feeding device having a magazine for retaining a suppy of caps, of a cap forming device operably associated with the magazine for supplying same, means for operating the forming device, control means on said forming device; a clutch device intermediate the operating means and the forming device for disconnecting same, and means cooperating with said control means and operated by a cap in the magazine when a .predetermined number thereof are retained therein for controlling the operation of the clutch device.

17. The combination with a cap feeding device having a magazine for retaining a supply of caps, of a cap forming device operably associated with the magazine for supplying same, means for operating the forming device, a clutch device intermediate the operating means and the forming device and adapted to disconnect same at a fixed part of a cycle of the cap forming operation of said device when operated, and means cooperating with said forming device operating means and operated by a cap in the magazine when retained at a predetermined location therein for operating the clutch device.

CHRISTIAN H. BRINTON.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,053,763.

September 8, 1936.

CHRISTIAN H. BRINTON.

It is hereby certified that erro-r A appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 6, first column, 1in/e 6l claim 1l for "thereinfi" read therein, `same page, second column, line 49, claim 16. for "suppy" read supply; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the vsame may conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of November, A.- D. 1956.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner o1 Patents, 

